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Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by ZenoArrow on Sunday October 11, 2015 @05:44AM (#10368730)
I would suggest that we do have it in the West. It's not unknown to know people who live at their family home well into their 20s, don't work, don't go out much, spend their time getting stoned, watching TV, surfing the web, and playing computer games.

The only major differences between the hikikomori and the equivalent Western stereotype is that food isn't brought to the room, and this leads to some limited social interactions with those around them.

I can understand the appeal of being a recluse, and I'd much rather someone became a recluse than topped themselves.

Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by cloudier on Sunday October 11, 2015 @08:05AM (#10369004)
The equivalent Western stereotype is probably the neckbeard. It's prevalent enough to have shown up in mainstream media, e.g. South Park's Make Love, Not Warcraft.
Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by roghummal on Sunday October 11, 2015 @08:59AM (#10369110)
What do you call a female neckbeard, then?
Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by JD557 on Sunday October 11, 2015 @10:01AM (#10369258)
I believe that the most common term is legbeard[1], although its usage is quite rare.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=legbeard

Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by tailgate on Sunday October 11, 2015 @11:44AM (#10369702)
Generally some version of spinster, future crazy cat lady, etc;
Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by invisible_dust on Sunday October 11, 2015 @10:43AM (#10369417)
a feminist
Re:A Culture Against Dropouts, Deviants and Troubled Young A... by mlamat on Sunday October 11, 2015 @09:11AM (#10369140)
I think it's mainly a jobs problem. People are going to freak out in a few years when they will find out how many people have become passive by the recession of 2008, especially in the periphery countries of the EU, where unemployment is high.